Fairy Tales
by sylvanawood
Summary: Hermione and Severus help Poppy with patients who don't want to wake up. This is an older story; it was written for the OWL House Cup. About the rating: I can't open the rating window. To be on the safe side, I used T. This isn't a tale for children, unsurprisingly. Otherwise, there is nothing rate-worthy here. No smut. SS/HG. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise belongs to me, I just play._

A/N1: Thank you, Janus, fellow Slytherin, for beta-reading!

A/N2: In 2009, the wonderful but now closed archive OWL held a competition called the OWL House Cup. It was madness in more than one sense; competition between the houses was fierce. I was one of the Slytherins and we fought hard. We didn't win but we gave the others a run for their money. Rules were that each review, each posted chapter, posted drabble, posted story gave you points. A minimum-100-word drabble gave you as many points as a 3000 word chapter. You can imagine that a lot of 100-word drabbles were written and posted. And so this story came into existence. I never got as many reviews since, which is enlightening, since most of these reviews were made for House points. To be fair, I never wrote as many reviews since as I did then, too. Astonishingly, after OWL closed, some people asked me to post the fairy tales again, so some must have actually liked it. Mind you, it was written in a rush and I'm not the greatest of writers at the best of times. It was written in approx. 100-word pieces, I've gathered them all in larger chapters with chapter breaks where I find them logical. You've been warned. Here it is.

A/N3: This is a collection of fairy tales that were shamelessly plagiarised, twisted, garbled and beaten into submission. My sincerest apologies go out to Hans Christian Andersen and Ludwig Bechstein.

There is a German version of this tale already posted. They are different language versions, not translations, since I write in both English and German.

***I've noticed that the tales aren't as well known as I thought they were, therefore I'll give you links to the original versions. In part one, I used:

Looks like is deleting the links, I forgot that it does that. Here they are again, just delete the *asterisks*.

The Brave Tin Soldier:* http*:/*hca.*gilead.*org.*il/*tin_sold.*html*

The Man Without A Heart: *http*:/*web*.archive*.org*/web*/20120518232740*/* http*:/*www*.rickwalton*.com*/folktale*/pink26*.ht m*

The Snow Queen: *http*:/*hca*.gilead*.org*.il*/snow*_que*.html*

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did.

A/N4: I know it is bad style to have the Author's notes longer than the actual chapter. I shut up now.

* * *

**Fairy Tales: 1. Severus Sleeps**

**Chapter 1**

Everyone expected Hermione Granger to take up an apprenticeship in the Ministry of Magic after the war, but she'd surprised everyone by deciding to get training as a Healer. When someone asked her why she didn't want to make a career in magical law enforcement in the Ministry, she replied that she wanted to learn something useful after all the fighting and suffering caused by the war. She wanted to do something that would help all people, and what better and more noble profession was there than that of Healer?

There would still be time for politics later, she claimed. She was still young and, being a witch, could expect to have a long life span.

* * *

No one seemed to be able to change her mind, not even her boyfriend, Ron, who was of the opinion that she should work in the Ministry. There she'd have more time to take care of him.

The two of them were fighting constantly, and Hermione often wondered if Ron really was in love with her, or more with the idea that all three friends would soon become part of one big happy family.

When Hermione told Ron about her doubts, he became very angry and accused her of caring only about her career. This caused such a violent fight that they finally decided to separate.

* * *

Hermione was very sad about their break-up, but she thought that it would be far better to go their separate ways now than to live together unhappily for years. She made every effort to keep their friendship alive at least, and with that, she succeeded.

Two years after the beginning of her training, Hermione had learned everything St. Mungo's could teach her. She had finished her training in half the time it usually took to finish an apprenticeship as a Healer. She had passed her exams with a flourish and now all that was left for her was to go through her practical year.

* * *

Hermione received many offers for that practical year, but she decided to spend it in the Hogwarts hospital wing. The many wild, magical accidents of the children there would give her necessary hands-on training as a Healer. Poppy Pomfrey was a very experienced nurse, and Hermione was certain that Hogwarts would provide her with the extra experience she needed. Furthermore, she'd be able to subtly and carefully work on the house-elf issue.

Hermione enjoyed the first four weeks at Hogwarts very much. It was good to see her old teachers again, and Hagrid was delighted when she visited him in his hut.

* * *

She had just become accustomed to the usual school routine again when she noticed one morning that Poppy looked very unhappy.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Oh," said Poppy, "I am well, but I have a patient... uh… well, I would have needed to tell you anyway... just come with me."

Hermione gave her a questioning look, but Poppy merely put a finger to her lips and took Hermione's hand in hers. She led her to the portrait of Janus Thickey, which hung in a niche, and tapped her wand against the frame three times.

* * *

"Password?" Janus Thickey asked gently.

"Snake's den," Poppy whispered.

The portrait swung to the side and revealed an opening that was just large enough for an adult.

"Snake's den?" Hermione asked after the door had closed behind them and they were following a corridor leading downwards.

Poppy nodded and smiled lopsidedly. "You'll see. I hope you'll not be too shocked. You're about to see somebody whom the world believes to be dead."

"Who?" asked Hermione, her heart beating wildly in her throat.

"It's Severus Snape."

"Snape has survived?" Hermione almost screamed. "But that is fantastic. Why is that a secret?"

* * *

You'll understand in a moment, Hermione," said Poppy, sounding very sad.

When both women finally arrived at the end of the corridor, Poppy opened another door by speaking her own name loudly and touching the door with her hand.

"We shall teach the door to recognise you," she said to Hermione before she led her into a small room.

Hermione, who had expected something like a prison cell, was pleasantly surprised. The room was small, but airy and brightly lit. It was a typical hospital room with a bed, night table, a few chairs and a cabinet. A man was lying on the bed.

* * *

His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep. The skin was sallow, and he looked thin, almost gaunt, which made his already impressive nose appear even larger in his thin face.

The black hair that framed his face had a greasy shine; a few strands were stuck to his forehead. He was sweating profusely.

"He's been like that for several days," Poppy explained.

"How has he been before?" asked Hermione while she was moistening a piece of cloth and carefully wiping the sweat from her old teacher's face. This didn't seem to give him any relief, and she noticed his heavy, rattled breathing.

* * *

"He's been in a coma most of the time," Poppy told her. "After we'd found him and discovered that he was alive, we were busy feeding him enough blood-replenishing potion to stabilise him and at least partially heal the wound. Nagini's venom made that very difficult, but we made discreet inquiries at St. Mungo's, and their experience with Arthur Weasley helped us here.

"Initially, I wanted to move Severus to St. Mungo's, but Minerva thought that it would be better if he stayed here. It wasn't certain that he'd survive anyway. She's saved his life with that decision, most likely. You know how volatile the general attitude was towards Death Eaters at that time.

* * *

Hermione nodded. With Harry's help and a huge effort, they had managed to get the Malfoy family safely to the Ministry. Snape would have been attacked as well, had he been out there. Everyone knew that he was the murderer of Albus Dumbledore and he hadn't made any friends as the horrible Hogwarts Headmaster under Voldemort's reign, either.

"Later, when people had calmed down again, Severus was in a fairly stable condition. Kingsley was of the opinion that Severus' best chance to find back to himself would be in his accustomed environment," Poppy continued. "I didn't mind having him in my care, but he never really woke up. Or maybe he never wanted to wake up. Rennervate only ever made him half-awake - just enough to be fed.

* * *

"This isn't working any longer, though. A few days ago he started to have trouble breathing, and he is sweating a lot. There is neither fever nor signs of any other illness. He's not eating and it is has become extremely difficult to give him water. I'm afraid we're going to lose him if this goes on." Poppy took a handkerchief from her robe and dabbed at her eyes.

"There has to be something we can do," Hermione said passionately. She was very happy that Severus Snape, unsung hero of both Voldemort wars, and the bravest man she ever knew, had survived the attack of the giant snake. She wouldn't just watch him die now.

* * *

"I've run out of ideas." Sadness darkened Poppy's voice." I've tried all the potions and healing charms I could think of, but nothing helped. It's as if he doesn't want to live any more."

"There is a possibility that he's trapped inside his own head. I've seen similar cases. He needs to be shown how he can free himself."

"How do we do that?"

"There is a new therapy. Healer Hagen Leid from Austria developed it. You need to use Legilimency, absorb the patient's thoughts, extract these observations from your own mind and analyse them in a Pensieve."

"I've read about that," Poppy said. "But I lack the experience to use it, and I doubt very much that they can do it in St. Mungo's."

* * *

"Some Healers can do it. Dr. Leid was a guest Healer at St. Mungo's for three months and taught the new therapy. I can try it if you think that we can risk it, Poppy."

Poppy took a deep breath and scrutinised Hermione critically. "I think it's the only thing left we can do for him here. When will you start?"

"Why not now?" Hermione asked. "I have time, and it looks like you have some time to spare, too. All we need is a crystal ball that tells us when we're needed in the hospital wing."

"I always have mine with me," Poppy said and took a small crystal ball out of her pocket. "Very well then, what do you need?"

* * *

"I need some peace and quiet, a phial for my memories and a Pensieve. Otherwise... you should be here to help if his condition changes or he starts to struggle while I'm in his mind. Things like that happen sometimes."

"I'll watch over you, both of you." Poppy reassured her and sat down on one of the chairs. Hermione took her wand out and cast a quick _Rennervate_ over the sleeping man. Snape's black eyes opened and he looked at her, but he seemed to neither see her nor recognise anything else. He only breathed more laboriously, and more sweat was streaming down his temples.

* * *

_"Legilimens!"_ Hermione said and entered his mind.

An hour later, she returned to her own mind. Quickly, she extracted the memories of what she'd seen in the past hour and dropped them into a small phial. Then she gratefully drank some of the water Poppy had offered. In the meantime, Poppy had Summoned the Pensieve.

Hermione poured her memories of the last hour into the Pensieve and prodded the contents with her wand. Both women brought their heads close to the surface of the silvery liquid and looked inside.

**The Steadfast Chess Piece**

Hermione and Poppy found themselves in the Headmaster's office. It must have been during Dumbledore's tenure, because dishes with lemon sherbets, Pepper Imps and Cockroach Clusters were standing everywhere.

* * *

A chessboard with pewter chess pieces was set up on a small table in front of the fireplace. Several Chocolate Frog cards were placed upright on the mantelpiece.

All the chess pieces looked quite normal except for one. It was a bishop and its nose was larger than the noses of the other pieces. The long-nosed bishop was under the orders of the white king and sent around on errands all the time. On top of that, the black king had nothing better to do than ordering him around as well. The poor bishop had to run and run, and never had a moment's peace.

* * *

The only fun the bishop ever had was to look at the Chocolate Frog cards. One of the cards depicted a pretty young girl with red hair who looked lively and intelligent. She wore a beautiful blue silk dress adorned with a large silver star. She jumped and danced through her card and never seemed to be at rest.

"This would be a good wife for me; we would be very compatible," the bishop thought and stared at her. He had no idea how they could meet, however. When he wasn't running around on orders of the black or white king, he always stared at the pretty girl, but she never looked back.

* * *

One evening, the headmaster forgot to put the chess pieces back into their box, which would have been the sensible thing to do, since all the chess pieces were rather aggressive. If both parties hadn't been stored separately, they would have knocked each other over the head, just as they did this evening. The pawns were communicating with their fists, the queens argued loudly with their swords and the knights were perfecting the chaos by popping up here, there and everywhere. The rooks stayed where they were supposed to be, however. They had to protect the kings and they were taking their work very seriously. The bishops did what they did best: they were running around.

* * *

Since the rulers were occupied with other things, no one told the bishops exactly where they were supposed to go, and our bishop with the big nose ran to the edge of the chessboard, as close to the Chocolate Frog card with the pretty girl as he could get. Oh! To be close to her, just once! Then, perhaps, she'd actually look at him and learn to love him? Perhaps he could run along the edge of the board and then jump onto the chair facing the fireplace?

Alas, he didn't have time to follow through with his plan, because Peeves the Poltergeist entered the Headmaster's office when the chaos was at its peak. He was turning everything upside down that wasn't secured with sticking charms.

* * *

When Peeves saw the chessboard, he laughed out loud and threw it off the table. The chess pieces were flying high and falling to the floor in a tangled mess; the bishop with the big nose was hurled higher up and further away than all the other pieces and landed on the windowsill. Peeves saw him there and laughed even louder. He opened the window, and threw the bishop out.

The bishop accepted his fate stoically. He didn't scream or whinge but prepared himself for impact. Impact came soon, but instead of shattering on the floor, the bishop got stuck with his nose between two cobblestones.

* * *

The bishop didn't like being stuck there at all, but he didn't have to wait long. Peeves was following him down, making faces at him, and throwing him into one of the boats that brought the first years from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts every year.

"Swim, chess piece," Peeves chuckled and gave the boat a shove.

The boat floated out onto the lake, and a big wave made it roll violently. This caused the Giant Squid to investigate; it wanted to know why a boat was floating on the lake at that time of the year. One of the squid's tentacles reached into the boat and searched around until it found the bishop.

* * *

The squid took hold of the bishop and studied it closely. It didn't quite know what to do with a chess piece, though, and so it threw him away.

The bishop sank like a stone. _This will be the death of me,_ he thought. _I'll never see daylight again. I wonder what the pretty girl in the Chocolate Frog card is doing right now. I wonder if she thinks of me, sometimes._

He didn't have time to ponder that question much longer, because a big fish came along and swallowed the bishop whole. Now the poor chess piece couldn't see a thing, but at least it was in a warm place. The bishop decided to settle down for a long sleep.

* * *

Alas, it didn't take long at all until a bright light woke the bishop up again. He blinked into the light, and realised that the fish must have been caught and cooked, and now lay on a plate, about to be cut up and served.

"Here is my old bishop with the big nose," a well-remembered voice uttered. It was the Headmaster, and he was the one who had wanted to eat the fish with the bishop inside. "What a funny coincidence," the Headmaster said and laughed. After he had finished his meal, he took the bishop back to his office and put him onto the chessboard, where he belonged.

* * *

The bishop was happy. He looked at the girl in the card; he had missed her so much. He was wondering if she had missed him too, but she was still jumping around wildly in her card and paid him no heed.

When the Headmaster sat down at the chessboard––he usually played against himself because he couldn't find a skilled opponent––the bishop immediately felt at home again. However, the game turned out to be very violent, and both queens fought with all their might for dominance. And so it happened that the black queen hit the white bishop with her sword, and once again he was flying through the air.

* * *

The steadfast bishop landed in the fireplace, in the middle of the hottest flames. He looked at the girl in the Chocolate Frog card and, for the first time since he had known her, she looked back at him. This warmed his heart, and he felt so happy that he cried pewter tears. Or maybe it was the heat of the flames that made him melt; he didn't know.

The flames crackled, flared high and created a sudden gust of hot air. The Chocolate Frog card with the pretty girl in it began to wobble and after a long moment of indecision, it fell from the mantelpiece.

* * *

The card with the girl landed in the middle of the hottest flames, where it flared up brightly.

_So she did love me after all, to have flared so hotly,_ thought the bishop and his heart felt very light before he melted.

The next morning, when the house-elves cleaned the fireplace, all that remained of the pretty girl was the silver star, and the only thing that remained of the bishop with the big nose was his pewter heart. Both were swept out of the fireplace and thrown away together.

Breathing deeply, Poppy Pomfrey and Hermione Granger emerged from of the Pensieve.

* * *

"What an odd dream that was," Poppy said. "So this kind of thing keeps him occupied while he is lying here, still and unconscious?"

"I am afraid so." Hermione looked very sad. "He seems to blend Muggle fairy tales with his own dreams and desires and gets caught in his own web of dreams. I don't know if I can help him out of that, but one thing is clear."

"And that is?"

"He still yearns for Lily Potter, Harry's mother, although he knows instinctively that she didn't love him other than as a childhood friend. I'm afraid that he won't want to wake up as long as he is driven by this longing."

* * *

"Oh, the poor man," Poppy cried. "Such a deep, tragic love, and even now he finds no peace! Shouldn't we just leave him be?"

"No!" Hermione cried passionately. "He is far too young to die of unrequited love. He could be free now. After all these years, he could start a new life. There is a lot life still has to offer, especially for him, I'm certain about that. I have to get him out of there; I owe him that. We all owe him that."

"If you think so," Poppy said and wiped the sweat from Snape's brow. He hadn't moved at all while the two women had been busy with his memories and dreams.

* * *

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'll get some rest and tomorrow I'll go back in." Hermione pointed at Snape's forehead. "Perhaps I'll come up with something. I might be able to manipulate his dreams while I'm in his mind. Perhaps I can come up with something to change them, to free him from this trap. I won't be able to take you along that way, though."

"If you think that it will help," Poppy said and handed Hermione a glass with pumpkin juice.

Hermione took a big gulp and gave Poppy a thoughtful glance. "I'm not certain, but it is definitely worth a try."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Summary:**__ Hermione and Severus help Poppy with patients who don't want to wake up. This is an older story, it was written for the OWL House Cup._

_Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise belongs to me, I just play._

A/N1: Thank you, Janus, fellow Slytherin, for beta-reading!

A/N2: Again: this was written for the 2009 OWL cup as a drabble series.

A/N3: Looks like ff . net is deleting the links, I forgot that it does that. Here they are again, just delete the *asterisks*.

The Brave Tin Soldier:* http*:/*hca.*gilead.*org.*il/*tin_sold.*html*

The Man Without A Heart: *http*:/*web*.archive*.org*/web*/20120518232740*/* http*:/*www*.rickwalton*.com*/folktale*/pink26*.ht m*

The Snow Queen: *http*:/*hca*.gilead*.org*.il*/snow*_que*.html*

* * *

**Fairy Tales: 1. Severus Sleeps**

**Chapter 2**

The next morning after breakfast, Hermione went back to Snape's room in the dungeons. Perhaps she would succeed waking him up.

After casting a Rennervate spell, she entered his his mind. "Legilimens!"

**The Man Without a Heart, but With a Big Nose**

Hermione found herself in a small cabin in a forest. A man lived in this cabin all alone, without wife or children, or even friends or pets to keep him company. The man had a very big nose, lank greasy hair, sallow skin and crooked teeth. He knew very well that people thought him ugly, and that's why he kept to himself most of the time.

* * *

One fine day, he looked out of the window and saw three Hogwarts students walk by his cabin.

"What are you doing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest?" Snape––that was the man––asked the three students.

"We are the Marauders," one of the three said. "We are going out into the world to find a bride for each or us because we are so bored. Besides, we would have to do all the housework by ourselves, otherwise. We've left one Marauder behind; he's holding the fort, but we've promised to bring him a bride, too.

"If you'll bring a bride for me as well, on your way back, you can stay overnight and find as much to eat and drink as you could wish for."

* * *

The three Marauders didn't need to be asked twice; they ate drank heartily, slept deeply and without a care, and met the lonely man again at breakfast.

"You can take as much rations with you as you wish," the man said. "Just bring me a woman to keep me company."

"We'll gladly do that," the Marauders promised. They thanked the man politely and went on their way.

_Here is my chance,_ Hermione thought. She knew the story that had trapped Snape in his dreams this time. _Perhaps I can manipulate the ending,_ she thought and waited until the Marauders returned before she quickly cast a Confundus Charm on them and then did some impressive Transfiguration work.

* * *

Instead of Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin, now Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom were walking through the Forbidden Forest. Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Hannah Abbott were coming along as their brides. Hermione joined them as the extra bride.

When the party reached the cabin in the forest, the man with the big nose looked out of the window and greeted Hermione's friends.

"I see that you've brought a bride for me."

"Err, no," Harry stammered, looking confused. "She is meant for the one who stayed at home. Who was that again?" He scratched his head.

* * *

"What? You didn't bring one for me? You'll pay for this!" the man yelled and waved his wand. Immediately, Hermione's friends and their brides were Transfigured into large pebbles and kept lying at the door.

"You shall be my bride," Snape said to Hermione. "I'll go away now, but you can start cleaning up around here, and then you can cook me a meal."

"I'll do that," Hermione said affably.

When the man came back in the evening, everything was neat and clean, and the food stood on the table.

He praised Hermione, but she looked at him with sad eyes. "What am I supposed to do if you die, dear husband, and I'm left all alone in the forest? I'll have to die as well, then."

* * *

"Don't be afraid," Snape said. "I won't die so quickly. I always carry a bezoar, and I've swallowed antivenin against Nagini's poison. I'm neither clumsy nor unskilled. Even the Killing Curse won't affect me, because I don't have a heart. I've hidden it in a secret place where it can't be harmed. As long as it remains there, safely, nothing will threaten me."

The next morning, he went away again. Hermione made a pretty, warm blanket for him, just in case he had hidden his heart in his bed. His heart could do with a bit of love, she thought. Perhaps then he'd get over his stubborn insistence to stick firmly to his old childhood love.

* * *

When Snape came back in the evening and saw the beautiful blanket, he wondered and confronted Hermione with it.

"I thought I'd do something good for your heart by sewing a nice blanket for it," she explained. "A warm heart is happier than a cold one."

"Always the know-it-all," Snape grumbled. "What gives you the idea that my heart is hidden in my bed?" He frowned fiercely and went away.

When Hermione decorated the door with flowers the next day, intending to do something good for his heart again, he only rolled his eyes. "My heart isn't hidden there either, you inquisitive creature. Why are you so insistent on learning where it is?"

* * *

"If I'm supposed to be your wife, I ought to know where your heart is, dear husband. I need to take care of it, to protect it. Besides, I'd be lost here, all alone, if something should happen to you."

Snape sighed. It looked like Hermione would get what she wanted merely by being so insistent.

"If something should happen to me, you insufferable know-it-all, then [you would merely take my wand and transfigure the stones back into people. The wand is hidden over the door. But nothing will happen to me; my heart is well-hidden."

"But where is it?" Hermione asked.

Snape rolled his eyes again and sniffed. "You never give up, do you?"

"Never!" Hermione confirmed and smiled.

* * *

"Very well. The heart is kept in a castle. The castle is surrounded by a moat. No one can swim across that moat, and no one can break through the walls of the castle. And finally, should anyone be able to enter the castle after all, he won't be able to take hold of my heart. It's hidden in a small bird which flies around all the time and can't be caught." Snape looked at her distrustfully. "Something isn't right with you. My bride shouldn't be so nosy."

In that moment, Hermione knew that she had lost her influence on the outcome of the dream. She suddenly found herself back in the role of an uninvolved observer. The young bride had changed. She now had red hair, green eyes and was very beautiful. She was Lily Evans.

* * *

Hermione knew what would come next. And when the man with the big nose had left his cabin the next morning, a young man appeared at the window who looked remarkably like Harry Potter. It was the fourth Marauder, James Potter, who had left his home to search for his friends. When James saw the pretty girl, he found that he liked her very much. He knocked at the door and asked her if she'd seen people passing by.

Lily didn't hesitate. She told James about his friends and revealed Snape's secrets. She provided him with ample food and drink, and the next day, James went away to catch the bird with the heart of the lonely man.

* * *

James was a carefree fellow, and thus he invited everyone and anyone in the vicinity who felt like it to share his meals.

First, a large ox ate with him, then a boar and finally a raptor. All three promised James to help him if he needed them.

Soon after, James arrived at the castle. The ox helped by drinking all the water from the moat, the boar ran against the castle's walls until they broke, and the raptor caught the little bird with the hidden heart.

James was very glad and went on his way back to the forest. When he arrived at the cabin, Lily hid him under the bed, because the man with the big nose was about to come home.

* * *

"What's the matter with you, dear husband?" Lily asked. "You look ill."

"I don't feel very well," Snape said. "Something must have happened to my heart in order for me to have become so sick."

Lily didn't comment on that and served him dinner.

James, who was still hiding under the bed, thought that Snape deserved to suffer a bit. He thought that Snape hadn't acted very nobly by cursing his friends with their brides and keeping the bride who was meant for James. That's why he pinched the captured bird just a bit.

The man with the big nose twitched and moaned.

* * *

James enjoyed seeing Snape suffer, and so he pinched the bird a bit more.

Snape fell from his chair and moved no more.

James discovered that he had accidentally pinched the little bird to death. The man with the big nose was dead now, and even a Mandrake Restorative Draught wouldn't be able to bring him back to life. James and Lily lifted the curse from their friends; everyone was happy, and they all went home together.

Hermione looked down at the dead man with great sorrow. She kissed his pale lips and left his dreams, crying. Completely exhausted, she fainted.

* * *

"I didn't have the impression that I'd been very successful. The tale took its course despite my efforts at changing its outcome. In the end, Snape was still trapped in his web and wanted to die." She wiped a few stray tears away. "I am so very tired and I feel cold. I need some rest, but tomorrow I'll try once again."

Poppy nodded, covered Hermione with a thick handcrafted blanket, and went away.

* * *

Early next morning, Hermione was at Snape's side again. She was still so tired that she could hardly stand upright, but she refused Poppy's suggestion to take a longer break.

"I just have to try this now, Poppy," she said and looked at her colleague sadly. "The poor man is trapped in his dreams and he is suffering a great deal. I won't give up before he wakes up."

"Better be careful lest you are forced to give up, Hermione. You wouldn't be the first Healer who broke down on the job because she thought that she was invincible and knew her own body best. When you're ill or dead, you won't be of any use to your patient, you know."

"You're right, Poppy, and if I can't make a difference this time, I'll take a longer break. But this once, I must try again. I don't feel that bad, don't worry."


End file.
